Apparatus for preparing tubing for a sweated joint



March 27, 1962 R. s. BOLLIN APPARATUS FOR PREPARING TUBING FOR A SWEATED JOINT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 22, 1960 FIE-.1-

INVENTOR. ROBERT s. B

March 27, 1962 R. s. BOLLIN APPARATUS FOR PREPARING TUBING FOR A SWEATED JOINT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 22, 1960 INVENTOR.

/ ROBERT s. BOLLIN am wa United States atent 3,326,553 Patented Mar. 27, 1962 3,026,550 APPARATUS FOR PREPARING TUBING FOR A SWEATED JOINT Robert S. Bollin, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to The Toledo Pipe Threading Machine Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Apr. 22, 1960, Ser. No. 24,009 7 Claims. (Cl. -4)

This invention is concerned with an apparatus for cleaning a portion of the outside surface of a length of pipe or tubing or the like and removing the burrs from both the inside and outside of the end of the tubing in preparation for making a sweated joint. More particularly, this invention is concerned with apparatus for preparing tubing or the like for a sweated joint which includes means for supporting and positioning the tubing in a proper location relative to a brush and deburring drum wherein the supporting and locating means is adjustable to compensate for brush wear.

In the past, in order to prepare a length of tubing for a sweated joint, the outside surface of the endmost portions of the tubing washand cleaned to remove all foreign material by rubbing it with emery paper or the like, and the burrs on the ends of the tube which resulted from cutting the length of the tubing were removed with a hand file. Oftentimes, however, the outer surface of the tube was not evenly cleaned throughout its entire circumference and a poorly sweated joint resulted. Likewise the burr removal from the end of the tube was uneven.

Various attempts have been made to properly position an end section of tubing adjacent a wire brush which, when rotated at high speeds, very effectively cleaned the outer surface of the tube. However, while the surface of the section was thoroughly cleaned when the brushes were new, various problems arose in positioning the tube relative to the peripheral surface of the brush when the brush became worn.v This, in turn, resulted in excessive brush replacement.

It is, therefore, the object of this invention to provide apparatus for preparing tubing for a sweated joint which not only cleans the outer surface of the tubing, but also removes the burrs from both the inside and outside of the end of the tubing.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for brushing and deburring the end of a length of tubing in preparation for a sweated joint which provides means for accurately positioning the tubing relative to the brush and deburring means and which can be selectively adjusted to compensate for brush wear.

These noted and more specific objects and advantages of the invention become apparent from the following detailed description and from the drawings wherein like numbers are used throughout to indicate like parts.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a tubing deburring and brushing apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, partially in section, taken along the lines 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in elevation taken along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view with parts broken away showing the location of the positioning and supporting means of the present invention relative to the brush and deburring drum.

.As shown most clearly in FIG. 2 the apparatus of the present invention includes an electric motor 10 to which current is supplied by means of a suitable cable 11. The motor 10 may be started or stopped by means of a suitable switch 12 likewise shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.

The motor 10 is protected by a cover 13 which is adjustably secured to a base 14 by means of suitable screws 15 extending through a mounting plate 16 into suitable slots 17 located in the base 14. A plurality of holes 18 are provided in the base for securing the entire unit to a work bench (not shown). A drive shaft 19 extends through the motor 10 and protrudes outwardly at each end of the motor cover 13.

A deburring drum 20 is mounted on the shaft 19 adjacent the motor 10 as shown in FIG. 2. The deburring drum 20 has a conical portion 21, the outer surface of which is preferably at a 15 angle from the axis of the drive shaft 19, immediately adjacent the motor cover 13. Suitable cutting edges are formed, as by knurling or serrating, on the outer surface of the conical portion 21, and these edges remove any burrs from the outside surface of the end of the tubing 22 when positioned as shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 2 and the solid lines in FIG. 4. The conical portion 21 of the drum 20 extends into a suitable recess 23 formed in the motor cover 1'3. Thus if the tubing 22 is urged longitudinally in a direction parallel to the shaft 19 with an excessive amount of force the endwise movement of the tubing will be stopped bythe motor cover 13 before the tubing can extend beyond the conical portion 21 of the drum 20 and become out or bent by the edge of the drum.

A brush assembly 24 which may be made up of a plurality of individual brushes 25 is likewise mounted for rotative movement on the drive shaft 19, and the peripheral surface of the brush assembly 24 cleans a portion of the outside surface of the tubing 22 as it is moved along the brush assembly 24. As shown most clearly in FIG. 2 one face of the brush assembly 24 is in substantial juxtaposition with the drum 20 and the opposite face of the brush assembly engages a suitable washer 26 that is maintained in position on the shaft 19 by means of a nut 27. By tightening the nut 27 on the shaft 19 the brush assembly 24 is urged against the drum 20 by the washer 26. The inner surface of the drum 20 is urged against a bearing assembly 28 which is retained in the motor cover 13 adjacent the recess 23 and is in engagement with a shoulder 29 on the shaft 19.

According to the present invention atube engaging member 30 is provided for maintaining the tubing 22 in the proper position relative to the brush assembly 24 and the deburring drum 20. This member 30 includes the first portion 31 in the form of a tab which extends in the direction of the drive shaft 19 and the second port-ion 32 in the form of an end guide plate which is spaced from the outermost face of the brush assembly 24. As shown most clearly in FIG. 4, the tab 31 has its innermost edge 33 spaced from the peripheral surface of the brush assembly 24 and its relatively fiat surface angularly disposed to this peripheral surface for supporting the tubing 22 in contact with the brush assembly 24. The guide plate 32 has an edge 34 which cooperates with the flat surface As shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 3 a number of different sizes of tubing can be cleaned and deburred by using the apparatus of my invention because only the fiat surface of the tab 31 and the contoured edge 34 of the end plate 32 contact the tubing 22. In fact, I have used my apparatus for cleaning and deburring tubing having an outside diameter which varied from inch to four inches.

In order to obtain the best possible cleaning action from the brush assembly 24 the contoured edge 34 has substantially the same shape as the peripheral surface of the brush assembly 24, and this surface is spaced approximately ,6 inch outwardly from this curved edge 34. The tab 31 is longer than the peripheral edge of the brush assembly 24 and extends to a point adjacent the deburring drum 20 to support the tubing 22 while it is in contact with the drum 20.

In order to prevent the operator from becoming injured by the deburring drum 2%) and the brush assembly 24, a housing 35 encloses the entire unit including the motor 10, deburring drum 20 and the brush assembly 24 and this housing is bolted to the base 14. As shown in FIG. 2 a suitable access opening 36 is provided in the end of the housing 35 to permit the replacement of the brush assembly 24 after it becomes worn, and a work receiving opening 37 is provided in the housing 35 adjacent the opening 36-v An important feature of the invention is the fact that the tube engaging member 30 is selectively secured to the housing 35 in such a fashion that it may be moved in a direction normal to the axis of the drive shaft 19 so that the relative position between the various parts of the tube engaging member 30 and the peripheral surface of the brush assembly 24 may be maintained constant as the brush is worn away. More particularly, the guide plate 32 has an extended leg 38 having a pair of aligned slots 39 formed therein as shown in FIG. 3. A second extension '40 containing a similarly formed slot 41 also forms a part of the plate 32 which is located opposite the curved edge 34. Suitable cap screws 42 extend through the slots 39 and 41 and are threadably received in the end of the housing 35. By maintaining the common longitudinal axis of the slots 39 substantially parallel with the axis of the slot 41, the cap screws 42 may be loosened and the entire tubeengaging member 30 can be moved in a direction of the slots 39 and 41.

By completely removing the cap screws 42 from the housing 35 the tube engaging member 30 can be removed from the apparatus. The plate 32 of this tube engaging member 30 forms a covering for the access opening 36, and by removing the tube engaging member 30 as previously described, the brush assembly 24 may be replaced.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the drive shaft 19 protrudes outwardly from the housing 35 at an end oppositely disposed from the access opening 36. In order to completely prepare the tubing 22 for the sweated joint, means in the form of a tapered internal reamer (not shown) may be received in a chuck 43 mounted on this protruding end of the drive shaft 19. Any suitable tapered reamer may be inserted in the end of the tubing 19 either before or after it is inserted in the work receiving opening 37 in the housing 35.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for preparing a plurality of different sizes of tubing for a sweated joint comprising a motor having a drive shaft extending therethrough, means for removing burrs from the outside surface of the end of the tubing mounted on said shaft adjacent said motor, a brush having a peripheral surface for cleaning a portion of the outside surface of said tubing mounted on said shaft with one face in substantial juxtaposition with said burr removal means and on the opposite side thereof from said motor whereby said outside surface is cleaned and deburred simultaneously as the tubing is moved intocgntact with both said burr removal means and said peripheral surface,

a tube engaging guide member spaced from said brush, said member having a first portion extending in the direc tion of said drive shaft and a second portion spaced from the outermost face of said brush, said first portion having an edge spaced from said peripheral surface of said brush and a relatively flat surface angularly disposed to said peripheral surface for supporting the tubing in contact with said brush, said second portion having an edge cooperating with said fiat surface to form a guide for maintaining the tubing in a predetermined position relative to said peripheral surface of said brush when said tubing is supported by said flat surface, and means mounting said guide member for movement in a direction normal to the axis of said brush whereby said edge is moved toward said peripheral surface to maintain the spacing between said edge and said peripheral surface substantially constant as the brush is worn away.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first portion of the member is longer than the peripheral surface of the brush and extends to a point adjacent the burr removal means whereby the relatively flat surface supports the tubing in contact with said burr removal means.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including a base for mounting the motor, a housing for enclosing the motor, burr removal means and brush, said housing being rigidly mounted on said base and having an access open} ing for permitting the replacement of worn brushes, and the tube engaging member being adjustably secured to said housing, the second portion of said member remov' ably covering the access opening.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the edge of the second portion of the tube engaging member which cooperates with the flat surface to form a guide for maintaining the tubing in a predetermined position has a con tour substantially the same as the peripheral surface of the brush.

5. In apparatus for preparing a plurality of sizes of tubing for a sweated joint, a motor, a cover for enclosing said motor, a drive shaft extending outwardly from said motor through said cover, a deburring drum mounted on said shaft adjacent said cover, a brush having a peripheral surface for cleaning a portion of the outside surface of said tubing mounted on said shaft with one face in substantial juxtaposition with said drum and on the opposite side thereof from said cover whereby said outside surface is cleaned and deburred simultaneously as the tubing is moved into contact with both said burr removal means.

and said peripheral surface, and tube engaging guide member mounted adjacent said brush, and said drum for maintaining the tubing in a predetermined position relative to said brush and said drum.

6. In apparatus for preparing a plurality of sizes of tubing for a sweated joint including a cylindrical brush rotatable about its axis and having a peripheral surface for selectively engaging a portion of the outside surface of the tubing; the improvement comprising a deburring drum mounted for rotation about the axis of the brush, said drum being in substantial juxtaposition with said brush at one end thereof, and a tube engaging member for maintaining the tubingin a position offset from said axis and with a portion of the outside surface of the tubing simultaneously in contact with both the drum and the peripheral surface of the brush whereby said drum removes burrs from said outside surface as said peripheral surface contacts the tubing, said member having a portion substantially parallel to said axis and extending along said peripheral surface.

7. In apparatus for preparing a plurality of sizes of tub ing for a sweated joint, a shaft, means for removing burrs from the outside surface of the end of the tubing mounted on said shaft, and a brush having a peripheral surface for cleaning a portion of the outside surface of said tubing mounted. on said shaft/with one face in substantial juxtaposition with said burr removaimeanswhereby said. outside surface is cleaned and deburred simultaneously as the tubing is moved into contact with said burr removal means and said peripheral surface, said burr removal means comprising a drum having a substantially conical portion for contacting the end portion of said tube, at least a portion of said drum having a diameter greater than the diameter of said brush, said conical portion having cutting edges formed on the outer surface thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,106,795 Ewald Aug. 11, 1914 6 Maxwell et a1 Apr. 30, 1940 Greene July 15, 1947 Barth Apr. 21, 1953 Swift et al May 12, 1953 Gallop Nov. 11, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS France June 15, 1942 

